Tag: contemporary romance

ALC Book Review: Overdue by Stephanie Perkins

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 416 pages
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Publisher: Saturday Books
Release Date: October 7th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Is it time to renew love or start a new chapter?

Ingrid Dahl, a cheerful twenty-nine-year-old librarian in the cozy mountain town of Ridgetop, North Carolina, has been happily dating her college boyfriend, Cory, for eleven years without ever discussing marriage. But when Ingrid’s sister announces her engagement to a woman she’s only been dating for two years, Ingrid and Cory feel pressured to consider their future. Neither has ever been with anybody else, so they make an unconventional decision. They’ll take a one-month break to date other people, then they’ll reunite and move toward marriage. Ingrid even has someone in mind: her charmingly grumpy coworker, Macon Nowakowski, on whom she’s secretly crushed for years. But plans go awry, and when the month ends, Ingrid and Cory realize they’re not ready to resume their relationship― and Ingrid’s harmless crush on Macon has turned into something much more complicated.

Overdue is a beautiful, slow-burn romance full of lust and longing about new beginnings and finding your way.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the gifted audiobook.

WELLLLLLL.

After thinking about this one more, I think the main problem is how it’s been marketed. The romance is not at the forefront of Overdue enough for me to feel like it was a true romance. It lent more towards a fiction story with some romance too.

The beginning was icky. Even if both Ingrid and Cory were consenting in the situation it had an aura of cheating and was not the way I wanted this book to start. All of the dating (and sleeping with) other people took up the first half of the book and I kept wondering when the actual romance was going to get going.

There were some truly genuine and sweet moments with Macon and I wanted more!! I liked their interactions and soft dynamic. I think I would read another adult romance from this author? Maybe?

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: multiple fade to black, 2ish open door
  • Violence: mild
  • Content warnings: loved ones with mental illness (on page)

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ARC Book Review: Marriage is a Shore Thing (Wilks Beach #2) by Laura Langa

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 280 pages
Author: Laura Langa
Publisher: West East Publishing
Release Date: October 10th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She’s tough. He’s golden. One dare later, they’re hitched.

I’ve sworn off love, so accidentally marrying a stranger after a friendly game of Truth or Dare? Worst. Case. Scenario. Never mind that Evander Young is a brilliant ER doctor with a dimpled smile that makes my heart race.

News of our nuptials spreads through my small beach town like wildfire—only everyone thinks it’s real after a long-distance romance. With my mom ecstatic that her grumpy, boxing-instructor daughter has finally found love, it looks like we’re stuck playing house—at least for now.

The thing is, happily-ever-afters aren’t for people who avoid feelings like they’re a knockout punch. But Van’s golden-retriever energy keeps chipping at my well-forged armor, and the sizzling chemistry between us? Definitely not fake.

When a family heirloom goes missing, Van and I team up for a midnight heist—sneaking through shadows, racing against time, and dodging a few close calls. Turns out, the real risk isn’t the heist—it’s falling for my accidental husband.

Enjoy the playful banter and sizzling tension of this accidental marriage, black cat/golden retriever, small beach town, closed-door/kisses-only romance by grabbing your copy TODAY!

SWOONY.

Accidental marriage romances are so fun. And I think this handled insta-attraction + slow burn well. I thought that it was paced well (maybe a little fast) but that I genuinely started to love Van and Gen together. I’m apparently super into black cat x golden retriever romances and highly recommend you go try one too!! [aka this one because while it’s second in a series it can be read easily as a standalone!]

There’s just the right amount of small town shenanigans and I especially loved Gen’s tight friend group and the continual support that flowed from that corner. Van wove himself deeply into the Wilks beach community and I was smitten with him myself. I loved the heated kisses and the key quiet moments where their relationship was truly strengthened.

Looking forward to the next book!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Content warnings: mentions of absent father, losing a sister to an aneurism (off page but recounted, grief depictions)

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Book Review: One on One by Jamie Harrow

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Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Sports Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Jamie Harrow
Publisher: Dutton
Release Date: September 24th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

They call it March Madness for a reason: Anything can happen on the way to a national championship.

Eight years after graduation, Annie Radford is not happy to be back at her alma mater in her old job with the Ardwyn Tigers’ basketball team. Worse, her coworker from back in college, Ben Callahan, is still on the Tigers staff, and he’s annoyingly wholesome, hot, and clinging to a grudge against Annie for abandoning him and the team their senior year.

But as Ardwyn becomes the season’s Cinderella Story, things start heating up between Annie and Ben, too. And while neither of them can deny this could be something special, Annie’s afraid to tell Ben the truth about why she left basketball—the thing she loves most—in the first place. She’ll have to learn to trust him if they have a shot at being together.

In addition to being funny, romantic, and sexy, One on One examines the pressure put on college athletes, challenges the sexism in the world of sports, and exposes the dangers in whole communities idolizing the big men on campus. For readers of The Hating Game and The Ex Talk, a workplace, enemies-to-lovers debut for anyone yearning for a courtside romance, perfect for anyone who can’t get enough sports rom-coms.

WELL…

As a former basketball girlie I am always on the hunt for a good basketball romance (send help, where are they?) so I jumped at the chance to read this book aaaaand, it was fine. There’s plenty of basketball (but neither of them are players) and it feels immersive to that atmosphere at least.

Though I thought the portrayal of March Madness didn’t work. It felt very scripted for the book and honestly that took the fun out of it. I was not inspired by this “miracle” team and think that plot point could have functioned better.

There are some good and important themes and discussions that felt relevant and informative. I wish Annie hadn’t lied and kept secrets from Ben for as long as she did though.

The romance is there, but it didn’t feel all that romantic. I kept waiting to feel the swoon and it wasn’t really there. The rivals to lovers trope worked well and there were tender moments woven throughout.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 3ish vague open door/closed door
  • Violence: low
  • Content Warnings: sexual misconduct (recounted), workplace harassment

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Book Review: One Last Thing (The Seddledowne #1) by Susan Henshaw

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 367 pages
Author: Susan Henshaw
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: May 1st, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

One shattered farm girl. The cowboy who’s always loved her. Ninety days under one roof.

After high school, Silas Dupree couldn’t put his hometown in the rearview mirror fast enough.

His hopes? That two thousand miles would be enough distance to make his stupid heart forget Clementine Shepherd, his sister’s best friend.

But a decade later, when his twin, Sophie, dies, Silas is forced to return home.

In true Sophie fashion, she couldn’t leave well enough alone, even dead. And when the will is read Silas and Clementine are shocked to find that Sophie left her teenage daughter to both of them.

With one stipulation.

The three must reside together, as a family, for ninety days before deciding on permanent custody. If they fail, a judge will decide Anna’s fate.

Can Clementine endure an entire summer with the quiet, closed-off man who ghosted her the minute they got their diplomas?

And can Silas keep his word to his new fiancé back in Wyoming while sleeping across the hall from the only woman he’s ever truly loved?

Perfect for readers who enjoy a sweet, slow burn. There will be hilarity and heartbreak, tears and tire-slashing. But always a hard-earned happily ever after.

WELL THAT TOOK A TURN.

This book left me a bit befuddled. I was really into it for the first half, even was able to roll with it until the last 30%ish. Then I thought that the drama went off the rails a bit and just didn’t seem all that necessary to get to the conclusion that was imminent.

I loved that Silas was a fall first, I have been in love with your forever, kind of man. I loved how he took care of Clementine and gave into the need and want that he had been holding back for years.

Clementine, I liked her. She had a few up and down moments for me but I did feel like she was truly trying her best with a handful of crappy situations. I’m not sure how I feel about one of the plot points used in this book and am just going to sit on the fence about it.

I can’t decide if I am going to read book two or not (I might just skip to three??) because of a few scenes in this book too.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Content Warnings: miscarriage, cheating

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